Monday, January 23, 2017

HofstrA CAPPELLA

Hi everybody! My name
is Izzy Falkovich, and I’m a sophomore PR major from West Hartford,
Connecticut.

One of my favorite parts about
Hofstra is that there are endless opportunities for students with all different kinds of interests. For me, that's a cappella. For those who may not know, an a cappella group is a bunch of students who sing
with no instrumental accompaniment. Hofstra currently has five a cappella groups:
Makin Treble, The Hofstra Dutchmen, Sigma’capella, The Chai Notes, and The Hofbeats.

I auditioned for the Hofbeats the
first semester of my freshman year, and couldn’t have been happier when they
invited me to be a part of the group. A year later, I currently serve as
Treasurer on the E-Board, and it has been one of the greatest experiences of my
college career. We’re currently a group of 21 undergraduate students who rehearse
about twice a week, with not only concerts once or twice a semester, but also
various performances at club events and fundraisers! With the help of the
E-Board, we arrange, learn, and perform 100% of the songs that we sing, making us completely student run! It’s a real testament to the maturity and independence of the group, and while it’s hard work, it’s also an amazing
time!

Although the
first semester recently came to a close, we’ve already done some pretty amazing
things! We recently
wrapped up an invitational that we co-sponsored with the Hofstra Dutchmen, called “The
Dutchbeats Invitational." The event took place on campus in Monroe Lecture Hall and
included groups from the New York metro area like The Queens College iTones, Pace University’s Tonal
Recall, the Stony Brook Pipettes, and the FIT Skyliners. The event was not only
a concert, but a fundraiser for a local homeless shelter, as well. By the end
of the night, we raised over $500 and 100+ cans of food! Not only was it great to see other a cappella groups performing, but it was very rewarding to know that we were contributing to something bigger than ourselves.

The “Dutchbeats” Invitational Participants!

Another one of
my favorite things about being in the Hofbeats is the fact that we perform at a
lot of admission events (talk about worlds colliding!). We perform at almost
every single Open House and Admitted Student Days, and
it’s how a lot of our current members found out about us as a group. It’s really rewarding to know that we play a role in prospective students being interested in Hofstra.

In addition, we recently found out that we've been chosen to compete in the 2017
ICCA Quarterfinals!! For those who don’t know, the ICCAs (or International
Championship for Collegiate A Cappella) is a competition put on by Varsity
Vocals (you probably know it as that competition from the movie Pitch Perfect). The is the first time in
the seven years of Hofbeats history that we are
competing, and we could NOT be more excited! We will be competing along with two other Hofstra
a cappella groups (Makin Treble and Sigma’capella) on February
11, 2017 at the College of Staten Island.

The Hofbeats performing at a recent Open House!

Hofstra a
cappella is an amazing place for anybody. It’s a comfortable, supportive
community for everybody, and it's where I’ve met some of my best friends. For
that reason and for so many more, it’s by far one of my favorite parts of
Hofstra, and one that I wouldn’t be able to live without.

If you’re interested in a cappella, don’t be afraid to reach out to us! We’re
always looking for new members, and love meeting new people!